Hanoi's consumer price index (CPI) rose by 0.2 percent in September against last month – a 21.74 percent increase over the same period last year, the Hanoi Statistics Office announced on Sept. 20.

However, the rise was the lowest this year, the office said; adding that the price of seven out of 11 commodities used to calculate the CPI witnessed an increase in September.

Most of those goods that went up in price rose by less than 1 percent, with the remainder rising by more than 1 percent – including gold.

Meanwhile, restaurant prices dipped by 0.02 percent. The price of food dropped by 0.34 percent (rice fell by 0.26 percent), after several consecutive monthly rises, but the cost of catering went up 1.02 percent.

The price of rice was stable because supplies in the north met demand this month.

In the first nine months, the CPI in Hanoi rose year-on-year by 17.76 percent because of the rising cost of goods and services this year, said the office. However, the CPI growth rate has slowed since June.

To control price rises and ensure social security, Hanoi authorities have provided loans worth 475 billion VND (22.8 million USD) to stabilise the cost of essential goods./.